How to Keep Your Roof From Collapsing From the Snow

A collapsed roof is a major headache. When snow causes your roof to collapse, the result can be a devastating loss of furniture, electronics and other household items damaged by the wet snow as well as by falling debris. You can help prevent such a collapse by checking your roof regularly for early warning signs of stress or damage, making repairs when needed, and removing snow properly before it overloads your roof.

Snow rake
Lightweight plastic snow shovel
Ladder

Instructions

- 1
  Check your roof each season for any signs of weakness that could speed a roof collapse under the weight of a heavy snowfall. Look for cracks, sagging, missing shingles or leaks. Repair your roof if necessary before the first snowfall.
- 2
  Keep a snow-removal roof rake, lightweight snow shovels and a ladder on hand during cold months. Practice using the rake before the snow arrives.
- 3
  Remove drifted snow from your roof first. Shovel or rake the drifted snow to the ground, not to a lower level of roof.
- 4
  Keep the snow load consistent across the roof as you remove snow. Move from side to side, removing snow in narrow rows to keep the snow-load distribution as even as possible.

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